Ex-Fulham player explains why Arsenal penalty overturn was wrong | OneFootball

Former Fulham and Arsenal player Steve Sidwell has argued that the Gunners’ penalty for a foul on Bukayo Saka should not have been overturned by VAR on Saturday.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

As a boyhood Crystal Palace fan who played for the Arsenal academy before spending three-and-a-half years with Fulham’s first team, Steve Sidwell was an impartial observer of the Gunners’ match at Craven Cottage on Saturday evening.

So when Bukayo Saka was initially awarded a penalty, only to see it overturned, Sidwell was in a good position to assess the incident without any personal biases.

Referee Anthony Taylor had seen the foul in real time, pointing to the spot. But the VAR Stuart Attwell recommended a review because Kevin got a touch on the ball, and Taylor overturned his decision after seeing it for himself.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

The issue is that Kevin’s touch was only possible by going through Saka’s leg, with replays showing the Fulham player made contact with the Arsenal man first.

“When I first saw it, I said penalty,” Sidwell told Sky Sports. “I was surprised that it wasn’t kept as ‘given’, because where VAR’s gone so far and where football has gone it’s been so clinical, it’s been very much black or white, no grey areas.

“We can clearly see here, there is contact knee on knee on the player before Kevin then gets to the ball.

“In my opinion, it should have been a penalty.”

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Even former Spurs player Jamie Redknapp agreed that the decision didn’t meet the threshold for a VAR overturn, saying: “If we take it the other way, and the referee doesn’t give it, VAR would have looked at it but I don’t think they would have given it.

“But like Steve says, is it enough to intervene, is it a clear and obvious error? No, I don’t think so. And that’s where the disappointment will be for Bukayo.”

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Mikel Arteta had a different complaint about the overturn at the time of the incident, growing frustrated at the length of time it took to make the decision. But the Arsenal boss explained afterwards that the delay was due to a faulty screen.

“Regarding the penalty, I was getting a bit animated because obviously if it’s clear and obvious or not, that’s where VAR has to intervene,” Arteta explained.

“It was taking so long and then Anthony as well was taking so long, then he explained the reason why he took so long on the screen. It was nothing to do with the process, it was the screen that wasn’t working. So that’s fine.”

When the Arsenal boss sees it back for himself, those questions about whether the ‘error’ was clear and obvious are likely to remain.